Sooner or later all columnists seem to want to move from reporting on the events to being an event themselves. That's why they are usually sad, pathetic little men.

The reason the "C" word is now in the public conversation is only because Reusse mentioned it.

Not that he can be trusted, but Darth Selig himself said a year or so back that he did not think contraction would be necessary in the future.

We need to get a stadium built, but it's not worth overracting to the Strib's prize lard hog's latest attempt to be the center of attention.

Take a few deep breaths. Rest for a moment. Drink a beer.

do i sense some stephen colbert in the "truthiness"?

Ha ha. Darth Selig. That's pretty good. Still, I never really beleive the Strib anymore.

*Must--calm--down*

"Shut up and gow a pair."

Right on. That is all.

The C possibility is in play, I think, because the MLB has an interest in having a few good sized markets without teams in order to make threats of "we're going to move the team unless we get public money for a stadium" viable. Right now the MLB doesn't have that. Remember a while back when Pohlad was threatening to move the team to Raleigh-Durham? He wasn't fooling anyone. I can see the long term baseball situation go the same way the hockey situation did with the Stars and Wild.

And if I hear one more comment along the lines of "you hate rich people if you don't give them money" I'm going to puke.

I share the rage--for that matter, I compliment Batgirl on her restraint. But remember the context: the CBA is up at the end of this season, which means that all of us who love the game are going to be subjected to a lot of rhetorical halitosis from all sides. The C word is part of that, in significant measure because the MLBPA made a Faustian bargain not to block (C word) after 2006, if the owners chose to implement it. So this is a threat--to 40 (more probably 80) big-league roster spots, and to everyone else who works for whatever two clubs are at risk.

But it won't be, can't be Minnesota. The organization is too good, the baseball tradition in the community is too strong, and in the end even a butt hat like Pawlenty--who, remember, sees a future President in his bathroom mirror--won't let the team leave or die.

Though I hate advocating any action that will work for the betterment of Carl Pohlad, I think the best thing Twins fans can do is go out and show the team some love. Come September, when Gardy will face the pleasant dilemma of whether to let El Presidente go for 30 wins or rest him for the playoffs, you'll be glad you did and nobody will talk about... well, you know.

Honorable BG:

Well said!!

A HUGE Difference from a few years back. The Selig family does not own the Brewers anymore. They have less to gain from the Twins and the C word.

That said--I do believe the C word is in play!!

I wish I knew how to fight it but I dont. The threat is also true here in DC area--DC govt. was also fighting stadium funding--finally agreed but Darth Selig said not good enough the other day.

I believe 4 teams are threatened--the Nats, the Twins, the Marlins (with fire sale they will draw nobody) and DBacks who are virtually bankrupt.

Who to call or write--dont know. A big year at the gate might help but who knows...

DAM

To my "preserve the Twins at all costs" ideals, it makes me wonder why they don't just c------- two National leauge teams, the Rockies and the Marlins.

Now I know the C-word is bad, but if they have to do it, why do they have to do it to one team for each league? The Marlins are in a state of turmoil, and the Rockies havn't been sucessful in their market. I know that it's only been a few years for the Rockies, and the Marlins have won two world champion ships, but come on. The Marlins had a huge fire sale, and the Rockeis are the Rockies.

The only real problem with this is that the MLB would likely have to re-district.

Like I said, I'm against the "C-word," but if they have to do it, why not just even out the leauges?

Thoughts?

If the government and MLB conract the Twins, I'll just go and live in a cave somewhere.

Baseball's two most underpreforming markets are Florida and Tampa Bay. But Tampa has a long lease in the Tropicana dump. The Twins have no lease in the Metrodump. That makes Minnesota more vulnerable to contraction than Tampa, despite the respective quality of the organizations and the history and etc. It's maddening.

More maddening, though, is the double standard used by the gov and the legislature on economic development projects. Viewed as an economic development project and not as a baseball project, this is a no brainer. For some reason, because it involves baseball and not hockey or basketball, or college football or soon pro football, it's a political hot potato. Since when did the national pastime become the leper on the edge of town?

I hope no team's fans have to deal with this...

The two most underperfoming teams have won four world championships over the last 20 years.

Well, there is SOME good news. I got a letter back from my representitive. Here:

I think that the Twins will get a vote this year. I could not begin to
predict what the outcome will be as they are still working out a
proposal.

Underperforming has nothing to do with on field performance. This is a business issue and I think it refers to the size of revenues in relation to the size of the urban community. The twin cities is 16th and South Florida is 19th. Furthermore, the twins market extends to the rest of the state and even into the dakotas and Iowas somewhat. If you're terribly interested in the numbers, click my name. Sorry for the strange way of bringing up statistics.

The twins problem can't have anything to do with attendance, so once again we're back pointing to the metrodome lease. So the stadium issue isn't going to go away.

It seems to me this Pawlenty's way of trying to rally support; as irritating as that might I'm for whatever works. Let's just get this done this year and forget about it.

Some people can bury their heads in the sand all they want or blame the media or Selig. But when it's announced on July 1 that the Twins are being contracted, don't say you weren't warned. Selig said a year or two ago that he didnt think it would be necessary? So what? Back then we all expected some sort of stadium financing to come through.

Why do you think neither the Marlins nor Twins are even bothering to talk to other cities? The Marlins made a little show of visiting Portland and a couple other cities but since then, nothing.

It's very simple. Do a stadium deal or the Twins are history after this year... even if they win the whole damn shootin match.

Now that I have found baseball and the Twins I sure as heck don't want to loose them. Come on Mr. Pawlenty and legislators. Say ok to the downtown stadium. Do the math, learn that the Twins and players and fans bring $$$$$ to the area. Know that the schools, roads, and other entities very needful of cash are in a separate category. Yes we need to cough up more tax dollars for the betterment of our society. The Twins stadium deal, however, is mighty small in cost: $.15 on a 20 dollar expenditure in Hennepin County. I would completely support doubling the .15 and giving half of it to the schools, for example, if this would get it done.

Major league baseball is about fun, excitement, leisure, time to get away from everyday crap. Please write your legislators and Gov. Tim. Minnesota without baseball?? Cold, dull, bleak, ...

Frankly, I am somewhat relieved that people at the top seem to be aware of the possibilities that DO exist if we can't find some sort of consensus here.

I have little respect for Reusse and even less for the fear-mongering articles like this basically are. Good grief, there is a difference between talking honestly about the ramifications and acting like Chicken Little proclaiming the falling sky.

The latter is bound to cause some to over-react and say that further discussion is pointless. This means that players necessary for a deal, pick up their ball and go home. That's NOT good.

So, let's just leave it at being aware of the circumstances we have to deal with and get the work done, shall we?

They can't contract the Twins-I just got my authentic Mauer pixie vest!

That being said-the Nats (their stadium is not a done deal) and Rays (what have they ever done?) should go; then move the Brewers back to the AL so I can see the Twins in Milwaukee 8-9 games a year.

Shaun -- you bought a freaking pixie vest? I thought we all made a pact about that or something. Don't encourage them.

And does anyone else think that the MLB owners might flinch at the thought of buying out Jeffrey Loria twice in five years? He's a wretched owner and shouldn't have been allowed control of a second team after what he did to les Expos, but that's hardly Nicky Punto's fault. How do the Twins end up in contraction talk every few years because this doorknob can't run a baseball franchise?

I didn't buy it-it is a birthday gift. Actually not that bad...

As for the C word again-Twins get mentioned since they have no lease, no new stadium, and at least 2 teams have to go to keep an even number in the leagues (too bad it just can't be 2 NL teams on the block if this happens).

What a marvellous rant. Succinct, and - yes, I'll say it - grippy.

The big C will be on the table whe the CBA expires. Florida is definitely on the list. The main reason is that they have no home. The Dolphins are kicking them out of Joe Robbie or whatever the heck the name is of their stadium. Miami, much like here, isn't really willing to pony up the cash for a new stadium for them.

I persoanlly think that the other team will be Arizona. The team is basically coming out of chapter 11. I'm not sure if they have ever made any money.

Every time the C-word gets brought up the fans in the prospective cities involved begin pointing fingers at other cities much like the two bears in cross-hairs of the Far Side cartoon. That being said I'm all for contraction if it involves the %#&$ing Yankees and BitchSox.

Then again, I'm still mad about the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn. Maybe I'm just bitter.

I wonder if....

The Twins draw another 2 million fans and are good on the field (I vote for win it all good)that MLB will look the other way when it's time to contract 2 teams.

I think two years of 2 million attendance might show a trend that fans will still come to the Dome to see the Twins and I think it would be hard to say that the Twins are anything but a quality organization.

Minnesota has to prove that they want to keep the Twins. Using the courts to force them to stay will not be enough.

Piggybacking on Twinsboy's Rockies/Marlins idea, straight up contraction leaves those divisions with 4 teams/6 teams/4 teams. Move the Pirates to the NL East and you've got the mirror of the AL 4/5/5. Same goes if you swap out Marlins for Nats or DBacks for Rockies.

If it's both Marlins and Nats, you're left with a 5/6/3, which can still be leveled by moving the Pirates to the NL East.

In the offchance it is the Rockies and the D'Backs, the 3/6/5 split leaves a trickier question: Do you move the Cards or the Astros to the West? I'd say Astros, since it's less confusing than being east of a Central division team (albeit in the other league) in the same state.

If, Killebrew forbid, the Twins fall under the gun, one of the NL teams will have to convert or forever both leagues will be a team short or constantly playing interleague games like the last two to pair up at a dance.

It should be thoroughly noted that I am in no way advocating any of these plans, just illustrating possible redistricting effects of two teams getting, um, C'd.

Sorry to be the pessimist in the group but I see no scenario involving contraction that the Twins aren't involved in. It has been being set up for a couple of years. Someone might want to check out just how many player contracts expire at the end of 2006 (I seem to recall it's several). The "deadline" placed on year-end 2005 for a stadium vote. The absence of any effort by the Marlins or Twins to find a new city/home. And a 90 year old owner who's not unwilling to sell out to MLB because he feels he has given the local communities plenty of time to get a stadium deal done, to no avail.

The only thing that kept the Twins in town the past few years was a court order that bound them to the Metrodome lease. That hurdle just got erased last week.

Last time, the Twins and MLB made a strategic error by announcing the contraction plans prematurely, giving the lawyers time to put up effective legal road blocks. This time, the team is absolutely silent on the issue but that silence should not be interpreted as a lack of activity. This deal will be announced, if it happens, on or close to July 1. And it simply won't matter if the Twins are 10 games ahead of the pack in the standings and on pace to draw 3 million fans.

To be honest, I doubt that the legislature approving the Hennepin County proposal this spring will even matter. That deal expired at the end of the year.

Jim,

Is there anything that can save the Twins from getting axed like a Thanksgiving day turkey?

Presidental pardon?

If the C-word happens to the Twins, I want to see how Bud Selig explains eliminating the 2006 World Series Champion Minnesota Twins :)

Seriously though, if there was ever motivation to bring the title back to Minnesota, this is it. Win the Series boys!!

Shaun that would be like a Major League type of movie wouldn't it.

Should we start casting?

I like the idea of Rincon as our version of Serrano (sp?)

and maybe Punto as Wild Thing.

Anything is better than dwelling on whether I will have a team to root for next year.

Well Boo couldn't be Serrano because he was a batter - and LNP couln't be Wild Thing cuz he doesn't pitch - I nominate Rueben Sierra as Serrano and well Kyle as Wild Thing - even tho a)he's not a closer he can kind of be all over the place and b) he's really not as cute as Charlie Sheen =)

Where do I get my official Jobu(sp)idol?!?!

Much Love
WW

Dear WW,

I've seen enough movies and books redone to know you don't always have to adhere to the original product. So I'm using my own artistic license.

I see Boo saying Serrano's lines much better and funnier in my mind. If not Boo though maybe Morneau can be Serrano, after last season He could use Jobu's help in hitting a curve ball.

I'll give you Kyle as Wild Thing though, maybe he can start game 7 of the WS, take a bat to Gardy's door and come out and shut down the other team for a win.

Crushing the evil owners attempt to contract our team of loveable misfits.

Striking a dissonant note, as a father and bleeding heart liberal:

I would love a new stadium. I do not think that at the present time a new stadium has a higher priority over a new school (or more realistically just giving our existing schools enough books, teachers, baseballs, etc).

All of the deals still heavily favor the team and not the taxpayer.

Very few people have taken the time to quantify the economics of a professional team. There are many opinions that losing a team does not hurt the local economy.

I love the Twins, I have always loved the Twins wherever I've lived but I would not vote for a new stadium today (unless kumquat stops messing with the kids and the poor).

Marlins have now talked to Portland, San Antonio, and now Norfolk Virginia as possible move sites.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/marlins/2006-02-10-marlins-norfolk_x.htm

Mr. Boliva-

Thank you for the comments. I know many Minnesotans agree with you. I have a serious question for you, and I am truly not trying to be a smart aleck. As a father and a taxpayer, how much tax spending on schools is enough to tip your scales towards also spending tax money on a stadium? $15,000 per student, per year? $20,000? $30,000? How much money is, in your words, "enough"?

At what point would you say to yourself "I think we have provided enough teachers and books. Let's get started on the stadium." We spend half of the state budget on education. Should we start spending 75%? I certainly don't have an answer. But whenever I hear someone say we don't spend enough on education or the poor, I always want to ask "how much is enough?" Now I have the chance.

I am not trying to turn this into a philosophical battleground. I just want a concrete answer on how much we need to spend on everything else so I can get a handle on what the Stadium push is up against.

I'm with BG on this one.

Twins fans - at least, those who care whether the team exists after 2006 - darn well better care about "contraction," because the Legislature's refusal to take up the Hennepin County proposal in 2005 painted a big, fat target on the Twins back.

MLB can look at the Twin Cities & say "You were on the edge before and only got rescued by a Judge. Back then, you all talked about how horrible it would be if the Twins were contracted & that you were going to make sure that didn't happen. And then you returned to 'business as usual.' "

Given the environment, why shouldn't MLB conclude Minnesota politicos just don't give a darn about the Twins?

And dittoes to the Legislature growing a pair - they have the power to act, they're just refusing to do it ... some of them (not a majority) because they're opposed, others because they're afraid.

And what they're afraid of - get ready for the scream - is that they'll get criticized for helping the rich guy if they approved the Hennepin County proposal.

Meanwhile the Hennepin County folks who put themselves on the line are left twisting in the wind.

The Hennepin County plan was very reasonable. Most people wouldn't notice that tiny amount extra when they buy something.

Being in Wisconsin, I remember the big battle to get Miller Park built. The state legislature debated late into the night, and finally one representative change his vote to authorize the created of the stadium district and create a 1 tenth of 1 percent sales tax for 5 counties to help pay for Miller Park. In fact, the same sales tax idea is helping to pay off Lambeau Field's massive renovation (and that was only 1 county).

People were very opposed to the idea of this small tax. But now, in 2006, no one ever gripes about it. I was in Milwaukee last night, and do you think I even noticed the few pennies extra I paid for dinner and drinks? No. These people who complain about a minor sales tax will probably never notice it.

Once the stadium is paid for, who says that the tax can't continued to be collected and go toward other things?

The fact the Hennepin County plan was left to rot and die is very suspicious...

The mindset of MLB owners: Baseball Market X sucks. The sure way to improve Market X is to piss off fans in that market with incessant threats to move the club to another city, or contract the team entirely, or to operate with so miniscule a payroll the team can't possibly win. These threats are rarely consummated (except as regards payroll) but do serve to further reduce the game's popularity in Questionable Market X.

Dear caluofmn -

I gotcha =)
Tho I prefer that no movie be redone and maybe we come up with out own baseball type movie =)

Much love
WW

My advice... write your legislators.

But most of all, just try to REALLY enjoy this season (even the games where they wear pixie vests).

We'll always have the memories.

"That being said I'm all for contraction if it involves the %#&$ing Yankees and BitchSox."
-ABG

Sure, the way to save your team is to cut out the biggest draw in the game and your heated rivals. Good idea, thanks for the constructive input.

Besides that, I only pop in to ask if JimCrikket's conspiracy (another C) theory holds water. If that is the case, then it makes me very angry -- manipulation like that to coerce an end-goal is despicable on any level, much less the top.

The thing that pops into my mind to "save" the Twins in the scenario (that is, if the Twins want to be saved) is (like someone or an article previously noted) that if they act like a tenant, their lease gets renewed, right? So if they printed some tickets for the 2007 season, they'd automatically renew their lease. Now, of course the 2007 schedule isn't set yet, but certainly SOME arrangements have to be made before the season (locker room stuff, TwinsFest stuff, etc.). For example, what if advance locker room tour tickets were sold for random dates during the 2007 season? Would that be enough to act like a tenant to automatically renew the lease? What about posting announcements for TwinsFest 2007? And so on...

Just a thought. Just know that my thoughts are with you guys, and if I owned the Yanks, I would try to find a way to keep you guys around. In fact, I believe George was the only (or one of few) who voted against C'ing.

YankeeFan
--who wishes C was still only for "cookie" because that was good enough for him.

Listen, the Twins could draw 10 million fans this year and it wouldn't make a difference. It's not a matter of attendance, it's a matter of revenue. The Twins revenue is annually at the bottom of the league, regardless of how many fans they attract. So forget this idea that because they're a good team and people go to the games that somehow that will spare them from "C" word talk. Revenue, and revenue alone is what determines who's ripe. And as far as revenues go, the Twins are not only ripe, but closing in on rotten.

Speedy,

What about if we all bought a pixie vest (we must sacrafice for the team we all love)

At something like 160.00 each that should drive up revenue, right?

If Pohlad agrees to put the team up for contraction again this year, it will be a very selfish move. He hasn't even put the team up for sale. He's had legitimate offers to buy in the past. All indications are that the team isn't even losing money anymore (if they ever really did) -- it's just not making as much money as it could with a new stadium. And that apparently messes up the MLB financial structure, which is quite a feat because the MLB financial structure has been pretty messed up for quite some time.

Arg.

Lemme drop some knowledge on ya...

State parks see about 8.5 million visits per year. They are overseen by the DNR, which has numerous other duties as well. The DNR budget is around $240M per year.

The Twins have pledged about $120M and I'm pretty sure a county in Minneapolis or St. Paul would be willing to match that in exchange for something (parking, sales tax, etc)

So basically, the state would have to come up with something less than $200M in financing.

Now, not everyone goes to state parks just like not everyone goes to Twins stadiums. But for the price of one year of the DNR, we can have a new stadium that will last for at least 2 or 3 decades or maybe more. If the Twins draw 2 million a year, that is a huge benefit considering the number of people enjoying the facility. Also, the DNR doesn't generate much in terms of revenue, added sales tax, player's salaries (state income tax), and other revenue sources means this wouldn't be an outright subsidy (or, gift).

Bottom line... state parks are great and worthwhile. So is a baseball stadium. The money would bring a great benefit to several million people each year (just as the state parks do) - except this stadium is a one time fee instead of a yearly cost.

Caluofmn:

Sure, if you can get everyone to buy a $160 jersey each year to cover for the lack of other revenue streams available to the team. If you can do that, you might have yourself a solution. ;o)

Know what I would propose instead? How about instead of annually forcing fans to pay $160 for a pixie vest, you somehow came up with a plan that would only cost, oh let's say $.03 for every $20 purchase? And then applied it to a larger (fan)base. I know it's crazy, but it's just a thought. What do you think?

Speedy

Speedy,

That plan just might work but we would need a pretty big population base to work with. You know Hennipen County might be big enough to pull this off.

Tongue firmly in cheek.

What will be will be I guess.

did I say .15/$20.00 expenditure in Hennepin co.? Well my s.o. and some batlings above are telling me it is only .03/$20.00. Speedy/Caluofmn got it right apparently. For cryin' out loud this is a pittance to have a nice stadium. It would be for all of us.

I want to enjoy the upcoming spring training and season. State legislature, please do not blow this.
dread and worry muddy my anticipation.